Controlled fluid coupling



Dec. 15, 1959 F. R. CHEEK coNTRoLLED FLUID couPLING Filed Dec. 27, 1954 v. E N R O T T UnitedStates Patent c 2,916,8s11 CONTROLLED FLUID COUPLINC p Forrest' R. Cheek, Detroit, Mich.,` assignor t'o General Motors Corporation; DetroitpMiclr., a' corporation of Delaware This invention relates to a fluid coupling for use? in a' transmission and having a valve to control the lling and emptying of said coupling.

In a' type of automatic transmission used` inmotor vehicles at the present time,` fluid pressure operated bandsl and friction disk or cone clutches are employed for con: trolling4 the. speed ratios drives by their engagement or4 disengagement'. It isL desirable at times to replace the friction clutch with a-id coupling that can be emptiedor filled to'vary the speed ratio drive, since the use of a".uid coupling willgenerally providea smoother shift toadifferent gear or speed ratio. When a fluid coupling is used instead ofa friction device, somemean's must be provided for quickly emptying and filling' the coupling.

so that it will have the same effect as the friction device.

Therefore, it is an objecti of this inventionto provideV a lluidr couplingg with al fluid pressure actuated valve for'- determinng when aliuid"V coupling willbe lled or emp' tied of fluid.

Other? features, advantages" and' objects will` becoine apparent b'yfreference to the detailed description of the invention' aridfto' the drawings' wherein; y 1

Fig.l 1 isacro'ss-sectional view' of one-half of a fluid coupling showingari einbedirrientjof' the present invention; and? Fig. 2is a" seetional view on' a' reduced` scale of the entire e'n'd structure" with" one-half thereof viewed inthe direction ofthe arrows'2`'-2 ofFig. 1,showin`gl the path! aflthe huid. H y

` Referring tof die drawings" arid habre particularly t Figi'. 1,*10' indicates a` driving rri'errib'er,` whichV i'ray be" driven any suitable means such a's the output shaftof anlengiae, having attached' thereto a sleeve 11 rotatably mounted on a' driven or` output shaft 12. Sleeve 11 is conneetedto drive hub 11 ofthe pump of a uid'cou# plingf14'. Connectedto said hubfor rotation therewith is a casing or shroud member`1`3. -Secured to said casin'g are a pluralityofirripeller or pump blades 15 having a'A semi-ellipticalf shape inl cross-section and facingfa tur--V binelfhavig similarly shaped tur-bine blades 16. p The hubof; turbine is secured to the' driven shaft 12. Fluidvcirculated by; the impeller will cause the turbine member to be brought graduallyfrom a state of restto` a speed" approximate to the speed of the turbine; this function'being well'knowri in the art of lluid couplings.

Thecasing or shroud 13ha`s` an extension 17 terminan ingin anfenlarged wheel-lilreportion 1S rotatably mountedg on an extension 19 ofgth SttOllalY asilg 20 Suf* rounding and. enclosing the fluid coupling. The front portion21ofthis casing 20 `closely surrounds the input member 10 at 22.1 The enlarged rotatable portion 18 containsrapluralityof valves 23 and bores 24 drilled within the straight spokes `orbos'ses 25 as shown in Fig.

2", for controlling the exhaust Vof fluidfrom the' fluid coupling. As illustratedr in Fig. 2, four valves are shown inbalanced relationship aroundthe wheel` portion l'18;

however, it will'beobvious that any nuinber o'tfvaly's y 2,916,881 `Patented Dec. 15, 1959 2 eonla be used without changing the spirit of the invention.

l. ,The space between the driven rotor 16 and portion 18l ofther shroudi provides` a chamber 26 for containing fluid discharged frornft`he-A coupling at 27. Valves 23V control the exhaust of fluid froithis discharge chamber to theA oil reservoir `(not shown) through passages 23 and 29, the passage 29 opening into a common drain passage' 3Q connected'to thereservoir. The valves 23 are mounted adjacent to" the periphery of the shroud extension 17 to assure a' quick'` emptying action. This is necessary since` the'` centrifugal force of the' iiuid is great when the couplirig is rotating' at` or above idling speed of the en'ginev adwuld ten'd'to'preventV adequate discharge of the fluid if'dt'h'e valve and discharge opening were located in any other 'dial' position.

y Theffcolipling' is' filled by means of fluid within a con"` duit" 31 d'rilled within the stationary casing 20 and connee'ted tvtl lub of the coupling at 32 by means of c'ori'duit's4 `33" and 34, drilled within portions of the ro-y tat'able shroud' and the driven shaft, respectively. Fluid maybe supplied to conduit 31 by any suitable means, suoli a's`"`ir'1 thisH ease',y a fluid pump 35.

One ofthe valves.' 23 is` shown in Fig. l in a position' perrrritting` the' discharge of 'uid from chamber 26 tof 1`j'a's'sa'ge`29`I and consists of a spool type valve mounted fofrrciprocatio within 4a bore or hollowed out portion of 4the shroud'v section 18.. The valve at one end has ari erllargedportion` 36 adapted to be actuated by uid presfa' plurality of smaller lands 37 permitting'com- Inutili tiori between chambe 26 and passage 29. An annular cover plate 40 is'xed to the shroud member 17 to provide' a uid'ipressre seal and a stop for the upper movement of valve 23.4 A spring 38, seated between a shoulder 39 of the rotatable shroud, andy the enlarged land 36, normally maintains the valve in the position shown. As the shroud isrotated, the centrifugal forceV acting onY the revolving valve massalso helps to maintain' the yalv'e in this position.v The centrifugal force also aids the" spring in the event, for instance, the valve becomes sticky due to accumulation of dirt between the rear land and the valve body. Furthermore, on cold starts,V the viscosity of any oil that may be present bet'vv'een the valve and valve body may cause sticking of the valve, which, if it were not for the additional centrifugal force actingon the valve, would tend to counteract the force of the spring.`

A-recess4'1 shownin Fig. 2, in the shroud member connects they land 36 and bore 24- so thatr upon admission ofA iluid to the bore, valve 23 will be actuated to adownward position as seen in Fig. l, seating land 36A against shoulder 42 of the shroud to block olf corn- V munication ofluid between discharge chamber 26 and-l passage 29.' The uppermost edge of land 36 is chamferedV at 43, so thaty when= the valve is in its down orclosed positionleakage of oil may occur from recess 41l to chamber 26 to washY away any dirt or foreign matter,

' willbe provided to prevent leakagel of lluid at thispoint'.

Fluid is supplied ,to bore 24 by means of a passage 44 drilledwithin the stationary'casing 20,and connected tov the ltiuidpiimp 35.r intersecting bore 24 is a passage 46 drilled from the hub of the wheel portion 18 on a radius so as `to brealo through the wall of the wheell to cornmunicatewith passage 44. A sealing member 47 pre-.l vents escape of fluid into passage 33. Conduits 31 andv are" akcmiaptedi to4 be supplied with fluidisimultaneously so that theyalve willlcloseat the 1 p suppliedlto the couplingfproper. Althoughiluid isA supplied thugh port 32 for ii'lling the coupling, a slight same time that fluid: isi

amount of leakage occurs between the rotor hub and shroud member at 45 to also permit uid to enter the coupling by way of the discharge port 27.

Any suitable means, represented by the block 46', may be provided for controlling the supply of fluid to conduits 31 and 44, such as for example, the controlled coupling valve shown in the co-pending application of August H. Borman et al., S.N. 477,832, filed December 27, 1954, entitled Controlled Coupling Automatic Transmissions.

In the actual operation of the device, upon rotation of the driving shaft and before fluid is supplied'to conduits 31 and 44, the impeller or pump 15 will spin freely without transmitting torque to turbine member 16. Valve 23 will be in the position shown, due to the action of spring 38 and the centrifugal force acting on the valve, permitting the exhaust of any fluid present in the coupling to the reservoir (not shown) by means of passages 28 and 29. As soon as fluid is supplied to conduit 44 by pump 35 and the control means (not shown), valve 23 will be moved by the fluid pressure on its outer end to its closed position preventing the escape of fluid from chamber 26 to passage 29, thus permitting the coupling to fill with fluid supplied by conduit 31, passages 33, 34 and port 32 and in a small manner by way of the leakage at 45. In its closed position, the land 36 prevents any communication of fluid to the underside of the land, therebyy assuring that the spring aided by centrifugal force acting on the revolving valve will be the only forces tending to open the valve. Due to the chamfered edges at 43, any foreign matter accumulated around the valve due to centrifuging by the coupling will be washed away. As the stages of filling the coupling progressively change from empty to full, the pump will cause the fluid to be circulated to move the turbine member from a state of rest to substantially a 1 to 1 speed ratio with respect to the pump.

Upon discontinuance of the fluid supply by the control means, centrifugal force aided by spring 39 will open valve 23, the coupling will empty, and the turbine member 16 connected to driven shaft 12 will come to rest.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a reliable and efficient manner of controlling the filming and emptying of a fluid coupling. It will be understood that the invention can be modified beyond the illustrated embodiment, and therefore any limitations to be imposed are those set forth in the following claims.

' I claim:

1. In a fluid coupling capable of being filled and emptied of fluid, a rotatable casing having a passage therein for the discharge of fluid from said coupling, said casing being provided also with a bore therein communicating with said passage, a valve slidably mounted in said bore for controlling the flow of fluid through said passage, said valve having open and.closed positions, said discharge fluid flowing through said passage in the open position of said valve, a source of fluid pressure, conduit means connecting said source and said coupling for filling the same, secondary conduit means connecting said source and the bore, the fluid in the bore acting on one end of said valve to actuate the valve to a closed position to prevent the flow of fluid through said passage, said one end of the valve being provided with chamfered edges cooperating with said bore to define an opening between said bore and said valve when said valve is in a closed position, thereby communicating the fluid in said secondary conduit means with the fluid in said passage, and means for opening said valve. l

2. A fluid coupling as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve opening means consists of a spring means biasing said valve to an open position, said valve being subjected to` the action of centrifugal force upon rotation of the casing to aid the spring means to open the valve.

3. In a fluid coupling having a rotatable casing, a

passage through said casing for the flow of fluid from said coupling, a bore within said casing intersecting said passage, valve means slidably mounted within said bore for controlling the flow of fluid through said passage, said valve means having a recess at one end, said valve means having open and closed positions, means for opening said valve to permit flow of fluid through said passage, and fluid pressure means acting on said valve at said recessed end to actuate said valve to a closed position, the valve in closed position positioning the recess within the passage to permit communication between the fluid actuating the valve and the passage.

4. A fluid coupling as in claim 3, wherein said valve u is formed with a plurality of lands, said valve in open position having one land subjected to fluid pressure from said coupling acting in a direction to maintain said valve open when the coupling is emptying, said valve in closed position preventing fluid pressure from the coupling from exerting a force on the valve to move it to open position.

5. In a fluid coupling having a rotatable casing, a source of fluid pressure, conduit means connecting said source and said coupling for filling the same, said casing having a first passage for emptying the coupling, said casing having a second passage joining said first passage, secondary conduit means connecting said second passage and said source, a valve slidably mounted in said second passage controlling the flow of fluid through said first and second passages, said valve having open and closed positions, the open position of said valve permitting the discharge of fluid from said coupling through said first passage while closing communication between said secondary conduit means and said first passage, said valve in a closed position connecting said secondary conduit means and said coupling through said first passage while preventing the discharge of fluid from said coupling through said first passage, said valve being actuated to a closed position by fluid pressure in said secondary conduit means, and means for opening said valve.

nism comprising, a housing, said housing having a plurality of ports, a first fluid conduit connected to one of said ports and containing a fluid under pressure, a second fluid conduit connected to a second port and containing a second fluid under pressure, and means connecting said conduits, said means comprising a valve slidably mounted within said housing, said valve being movable in one direction by the fluid pressure in one of said conduits, means in said housing for stopping the movement of said valve in said one direction, said valve at'one end thereof being provided with chamfered edges, said valve when stopped by said stop means positioning said chamfered edges of said valve adjacent said second conduit permitting communication between the fluids in said first and second conduits. v

7. In subcombination, a flow communicating mechanism comprising, a housing, said housing having a plurality of inlet and outlet ports, a first fluid conduit connected to one of said inlet ports and containing a fluid under pressure, a second fluid-conduit connected to a second inlet port and containing a second fluid under pressure, and means controlling the communication of fluid between said second inlet and one of said outlet ports, said means comprising a valve slidable within said housing, said valve having open and closed positions, said open position permitting the communication of fluid between said second inlet and said latter-named outlet, said valve being movable to said closed position by the'fluid pressure in said first conduit acting on one end of said valve, means in said housing for stopping the closing movement of said Valve, said valve being provided at said one end ywith chamfered edges, said valve when stopped by said stop means being positioned with said chamfered edges opposite said second conduit, said chamfered edges providing communication of the fluid in 6. In subcombination, a flow communicating mechasaid first and second conduits with said valve in its closed position.

8. ln a liuid coupling having pump and turbine members, a rotatable casing secured to said pump member and extending laterally therefrom for enclosing said turbine member, a source of fluid under pressure, conduit means connecting said source and said coupling for filling the sarne, said coupling having a uid discharge port therein, a valve Within said casing laterally offset from said discharge port and slidably mounted for movement in a radial direction, portions of said laterally extending casing and said turbine member defining a laterally extending conduit means connecting said discharge port and said valve, said valve having open and closed positions controlling the discharge of fluid from said coupling through said last mentioned conduit means, secondary conduit means connecting said source and one end of said valve for actuation of said valve by fluid pressure to a closed position preventing discharge of said couplingr'ill fluid, and springmeans biasing said valve to an open position, said valve having a mass subject to the effect of centrifugal force thereon upon rotation of said pump member creating a force acting in a valve opening direction to aid said spring means.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNTE STATES ATENTS 2,224,884 Schneider et al. Dec. 17, 194-0 2,256,878 Black Sept. 23, 1941 2,298,105 Canaan Oct. 6, 1942 2,325,090 Alison July 27, 1943 2,423,812 Karl et al. July 8, 1947 2,557,894 Siesel lune 19, 1951 2,723,530 OLeary Nov. 15, 1955 

